One man's loss is another man's gain. For British farmers, hit by the BSE crisis and then swine fever and then the rise in the cost of fuel, the sudden surge in demand for Welsh lamb must give them some relief.
If anyone has had it tough over the last decade it has been British farmers with many going into liquidation.
Naturally, they will spare a thought for Balearic farmers hit by the virus and the subsequent dent in consumer confidence. It is interesting to note that SYP supermarket have underlined the statement that the lamb they are offering is from Wales and is grazed fed.
While many industries have benefited from technology and moving with the times in farming cycles there does seem to be a call to a return to old methods.
Factory farming is a dirty word like GM crops.
These food scares will do nothing to increase confidence in meat eating.
We have Dolly the lamb and other cloned members of her families but good old Joe public appears to want meat like Mum used to make and not some animal which has been hatched out in a laboratory.
Lamb has always been a major part of the local diet and unfortunately for some, and happily for others, the lamb which will be eaten at tables around the Balearics will be as Spanish as Tom Jones.
Monitor